Rail-joint.



UNITED STATES RAI y-JOINT,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N; 652,487, dated Julie 26,1900. Application 'filed February Z1, 1900. Serial No. 6,072. (Nomodel.)

T0 LZ/ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN' N. POWERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shreve= port, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rail-joints.

The object of the invention is to provide a rail-joint which shall besimple and strong of construction, durable in use, and y comparativelyinexpensiverof production, and which is designed for thepurpose ofpreventing the spreading of the rails and to permit of their endwisemovement to compensate for expanL sion and contraction.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain features ofconstruction and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fullyset forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of theabutting ends of two railroad-rails, illustrating the applicationV of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view, and Fig. 3 is a cross-sectionalview.

In the drawings, 1 denotes the abutting ends of two railroad-rails, 2the supporting-plate, and 3 the clamping-plates.' The ends of the railsare seated upon the supporting-plate,

which is secured at its ends to the usual tie by the bolts 4. After therails have been placed upon the plate they are secured thereto by theclamping-plates 3, which are provided with bolts 5, whchextend throughthe baseplate and clamping-plates and have nuts 6.

These bolts are so arranged and spaced apart:

that their heads at the under side of the supporting-plate are betweenthe ties, so as to permit easy access to them.

7 denotes the central lset of bolts,which pass through theclamping-plates, the base-plate, and the centrally-located tie, which isarranged directly beneath the joint of the rails. Any Well known orapproved form of nut-lock may be used for locking the nuts to the bolts;

but that shown in the present instance is preL ferred, and consists of awasher 8, a portion of the periphery of which is bent up against theside of the nut after it has been .screwed home. This Washer isprevented from rotating by the pin 9, which is driven into a hole formedin one of the clamping-plates at the side of the turned-up portion ofthe Washer.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of myimproved rail-'joint will be readily apparent without requiring anextended explaL nation. The device is extremely simple, may

be made at small cost, and is exceedingly use= ful for the purpose forwhich it is desired.

Having thus fully described my invention,- what is claimed as new, anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States, 1s-

The combination with a supporting-plate provided with bolt-holes, threesets of which are designed to be placed over the ties and two sets ofwhich are designed to be placed over the space between the ties, ofrails seated upon said plate, clamping-plates seated upon said plate andengaging the base of the rails, said clamping plates being provided withbolt-holes which register with all of the boltholes aforesaid with theexception of those at the ends of the plate, bolts inserted through saidbolt-holes and provided with nuts, the bolts of the nuts which arelocated over the ties extending entirely through the ties,wash ersplaced upon the upper endsvof said bolts and having a portion bentupward against the side of said nuts and fixed pins'arranged adjacent tosaid nuts to prevent the rotation of said washers, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN N. POWERS.

Witnesses:

D. E. NICHOLSON, J. W. WHITE.

